Veni, Vidi, Vici
by Coqui's Song
Summary: "I came, I saw, I conquered." But not everything is that simple... Co-authored with GoldenRinglets.
1. Prologue

_Veni Vidi Vici_

_I came, I saw, I conquered_

By: _Coqui's Song_ and_ GoldenRinglets_

Prologue

_The wind whispered quietly in the _high branches of the trees. The foliage was thin; it was the dead of winter, and the cold chilled Marci to the bone. Her paws crunched the snow that had lightly fallen that day, and the stars peeked out from over clouds in the dark winter sky. The snow was still gently scattering around in the air, and the dark gray she-cat shivered with cold, but hardened her green eyes as she strolled to answer Caesar's summons.

The Emperor had called for her early that day to see him during the evening, and she had spent the day wondering what it was about. The Alliance of Roma had not been in war for several moons. Perhaps Caesar's scouts had found new territories to conquer –new cats for their Army.

She nodded politely to the guards standing at the entrance to the Emperor's den, and they dipped their heads in return, moving aside to let her pass. She stalked inside; slightly surprised to see she was the only cat in the den other than Caesar himself.

"Caesar?" she inquired, padding up to the leader of Roma, dipping her head as she addressed him. "You have summoned me?"

The Emperor's pale blue eyes brightened in recognition. "Marci, my loyal Messenger."

"What is it?" she wondered, because by the tone of Caesar's voice, this was a serious matter.

"You are aware we need more troops for our Army," he began slowly, and she nodded for him to go on.

"We have found four territories," he growled in satisfaction with a slight smile.

She choked in surprise_. "Four?"_

"Four," he repeated. "The best thing is that four Clans of cats live there."

"Clans?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "Are these Clans… allies?"

The Emperor shook his head. "I don't know. But we will give them our usual option: Join us, or to be defeated by the power of Roma."

Marci nodded. "And I will be the Messenger to tell them?"

"Not only you."

Caesar stood and stretched. "I have heard rumors that these Clans train their young to become warriors."

"And you think they'll be better trained than me?" she questioned, annoyance worming its way into her tone. Marci unsheathed her sharp claws, which glinted in the dim light of the den as she swiped the air powerfully with her forepaws. "I fight just as well as any Soldier of Roma!"

He nodded, looking tired. "You can, but I can't have my best Messenger be killed, can I?" His voice held gentleness and concern, which was unlike any cats of Roma to feel. She suddenly wondered if perhaps he was remembering that she was his daughter as well as his best Messenger. She was his only offspring, but no other cat knew but his closest friends. He had kept it secret for his own selfish purposes –Marci was not to be his successor.

His tone grew hard again. "We need to look strong and intimidating if we are to force the Clans into joining us."

Marci bowed her head. "Very well, Caesar."

"Take Xavier with you," he meowed.

She jumped, startled at his choice. "X-Xavier?"

"Yes," he said. "Xavier. My trusted Lieutenant? You know him, yes?"

"Yes." The dark gray Messenger tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. Marci simply dipped her head again, hiding the resentment she felt flaring in her chest. "Very well, Caesar."

She turned, holding back a sigh. Xavier. The young black-white-and-gray tom was to be her father's successor, because Caesar, although he somewhat cared for her (at least, no less than any of his Messengers), he just couldn't stand the idea of her becoming Empress. The Alliance of Roma needed to be led by a strong, determined tom, he had said, not a mere she-cat. For this reason, she had developed a sense of resentment to the Emperor as well as a deep loathing for Xavier. Marci knew the Lieutenant was kind and civil enough with she-cats, not abusing them as other toms did in his high rank, but she hated him. It was irrational, but she didn't care. _She hated him. _

_I should be next in line. But no, I'm not even _in_ line. _

Her hate made her heart pound so all she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears, but she controlled herself.

Marci took a deep breath and approached the Lieutenant's den. It wasn't guarded by Soldiers as Caesar's was, which was strange considering he was the successor. She could go inside if she wanted; Xavier wouldn't mind her padding into his den without his consent, but she didn't want this to be a friendly exchange; this was pure business. She sat down instead and called his name. "Xavier? It's Marci."

"Marci?" came the reply, and soon his head peeked out from under the bush's leaves. "What is it? A message from Caesar?"

She nearly bit her tongue to keep herself from saying a scathing comment. Marci gave a tight smile. "Yes."

"New territories?" asked Xavier, padding outside his den and settling in front of her, giving his white chest a few quick licks.

The dark gray Messenger nodded. "He told me you have to accompany me for this message –the cats that live in these territories learn to fight like we do. Caesar thought I should be protected against these cats, lest they attack me for warning them of our strength." The annoyance was clear in her tone, but Xavier blinked sympathetically.

How she hated him.

"I'll come," he agreed. "Nothing to fear, Marci."

"You think me weak?" she snarled, flattening her ears in anger and tensing her muscles, which were hard from traveling the long distances it took to deliver messages. She wouldn't put it past a normal Lieutenant like Armando to clout her ears and rebuke her for her arrogance –she was a she-cat, after all. A she-cat and a lowly Messenger.

But this was Xavier. So she had nothing to worry about. Marci could say all the scathing comments she wished; she could even attack him –he wouldn't do a thing to harm her. The thought angered her even more, yet at the same time it dismayed her.

"Not at all," Xavier said coolly.

"Then watch what you say," she spat.

He nodded and grinned smugly. "Yes, Marci. Because you are far superior to_ me_, the next Emperor."

A growl crept up from deep in her throat, and she sheathed and unsheathed her claws in frustration. Her fur stood on end, but she dipped her head curtly and turned around to go back to the Messengers' side of the large territory.

"Just be ready," she muttered, lashing her white-tipped tail. "We leave tomorrow at dawn to find the Clans."

**Confused? We shall explain later, we promise. So, please review if you love it so far, or if you think it needs work, or whatever. XD**

**~_Coqui's Song _and _GoldenRinglets_**


	2. Chapter I

**I do not own Warriors.**

**Hi all! Goldie here. This chapter is a bit short, but it's important. I tried especially hard on the dialogue, with keeping everyone in character and whatnot. I'm afraid the detail might have suffered a bit, but I still tried hard on it. With all that blabbering, on with the chapter.**

_**Coqui: I reformatted because I'm just like that. **_**XD _Thanks all you reviewers, by the way: _Queen Of The Pens, FallingMemories, Violetsong, Raven (just because you change your PenName too much XD), Koraki, The Bookish Owl, ponyiowa, kcb500, and Silver Rippling Dreams.**

Chapter I

_The_ _dead of leaf-bare. The trees_ were naked, their leaves yielding temporarily to the cold. The sky was a sickly pale blue color behind the fat gray clouds rolling across it, blocking out the watery sunlight. A chilled wind pushed them along, whistling through the bare trees, as if taunting them with its power.

Mousefur growled irritably. She was cold, she was old, she was hungry, and she was bored. Purdy was passed out in the corner of the den, snoring loudly and scratching at his ear every few heartbeats. Another, stronger gust of wind blew through the camp, and Mousefur gave up on trying to sleep. If she wanted to do something, she would have to do it herself.

The elderly she-cat pushed herself to her paws, scrambling slightly in the old moss. ThunderClan's stupid apprentices had forgotten to change it again. She would have to punish the first one she found. Mousefur snorted, shook her bedraggled brown tabby fur out, and exited the den.

It was even colder outside. The camp looked deserted. Any cats there were huddled in their dens and trying to preserve warmth. Mousefur snorted again. What a bunch of mousehearted fools. If an elder could leave her den and not freeze, then young apprentices and warriors could easily fetch her some fresh moss and patch up the elders' den walls.

She heard a rustle to her left, and she jumped. Mousefur looked over and watched as the little gray tom slipped out of the medicine cat den. He had a bundle of herbs in his mouth. She growled and trotted over to him. Blind blue eyes met hers. He gasped when she knocked the herbs out of his mouth. They drifted slowly to the stone ground.

"What in StarClan's name was that for?" he hissed, pawing the leaves into a messy pile before the cold wind could blow them away.

"I need fresh moss!" she growled irritably. "You're an apprentice, go get me some." A gust of wind howled through the camp, seeming to rage at the medicine cat along with her.

He twitched his whiskers. "I am a full medicine cat, Mousefur. I've been one for many moons now. Go get one of the _actual_ apprentices to do it for you." He lifted the bundle again and padded past her, mumbling something that sounded like "Irritable she-cats."

Mousefur snarled. Where was the apprentice den? StarClan knows that she couldn't be bothered to remember. She would have to ask the scrawny medicine cat.

"Hey! Uh... Jayfeather?" she said, turning to face him. The gray tom stopped and tilted his head slightly, letting her know that he was listening. "Where is the apprentice den?" she asked. Jayfeather didn't say anything. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the whistling wind up in the treetops. Mousefur padded forward and came to a stop by the tabby tom. He was staring off into the distance, his ear twitching occasionally. She nudged him. He didn't react. "Hello?" she meowed loudly in his ear.

Jayfeather jumped. Mousefur scrambled back, startled. She opened her mouth to tell him off for ignoring her, but then she saw the look in his blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" she questioned urgently. She glanced around, bristling and unsheathing her claws. Did he sense an attack?

Jayfeather turned to look at her, his eyes flashing with anticipation and more than a little fear.

"Someone is coming," he meowed flatly.

**Ω Ω Ω**

Icecloud had never run faster in her life. She flew over a fallen log and landed running on the other side. She had no time to lose. The scent was still strong in her nose. It was a strange, unfamiliar mixture of sharp pine-scented leaves and soft earth. Very strange indeed.

She tore through the forest, ducking under very low-hanging branches. Her paws slapped on the frozen ground, growing numb. Icecloud pressed her ears flat against her skull and narrowed her eyes. She could hear movement up ahead. It was too loud to be prey, but too quiet to be anything larger than a cat.

Intruders.

Icecloud skidded to a stop beside a thick tree trunk, panting slightly to catch her breath. All of that running had sure worn her out. Her legs shook, barely managing to hold her up. Maybe sprinting so much wasn't the best idea in this situation. But, she had to catch up to whatever cat it was in her Clan's territory, and warn them off. That was her job as a warrior.

The white she-cat peered around the trunk, staring into the barren foliage around her. There was no one there. She could have sworn that she had heard the cat moving about somewhere by this tree. Maybe they heard her and started running? Icecloud didn't know.

She slipped out from behind the tree and came to a stop next to a bush. The earthy pine scent was strong here. The she-cat opened her mouth slightly and inhaled. She nearly choked on how strong the smell was. Icecloud pawed at her nose. The strange-scented cat was awfully near.

A rustling sound broke out behind her. Icecloud whipped around and faced it. That had to be them coming out of hiding.

A dark gray she-cat appeared from behind a tree, padding forward with an intimidating grace. Her dark green eyes gleamed with secrets. Icecloud pressed her belly to the ground and hissed, unsheathing her claws. The she-cat gave her no more response than a disdainful sniff.

"Who are you and what are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Icecloud demanded. Dark green eyes stared down at her, unimpressed. The white she-cat cleared her throat and sat up, embarrassed for some odd reason. This cat was just that intimidating, she guessed.

"Well? Are you going to answer me?" Icecloud asked of the intruder.

"Yes," she said shortly, "but not here. My companion and I wish to speak with your Emperor about our reason for being here on... ThunderClan hunting grounds."

Icecloud gaped. Her _companion_? The gray-and-white she-cat wasn't alone? And what in StarClan's name was an '_Emperor'_?

"Do you wish to stand there stupidly and gawk at me all the day long, or are you going to take my companion and I to your Emperor?" the she-cat asked snidely. Icecloud blinked. This strange she-cat sure was being rude for someone who was on another Clan's territory.

"Calm down, Marci," a distinctly male voice soothed. Icecloud turned to watch a tom appear from behind the same tree that Marci had. His pale blue eyes flashed with warning when Marci didn't so much as flick her tail in acknowledgment of him.

"Who are you?" Icecloud asked, not really expecting an answer from him either. The tom dipped his head slightly in her direction before answering.

"I am Xavier, heir to the Roma throne. This _lovely_" -Icecloud could hear the thinly veiled sarcasm- "she-cat is Marci, Messenger of Roma." Marci tossed her head and glared at him. Xavier tactfully ignored her.

Icecloud wasn't exactly sure how to respond to this. They were saying so many new words that she didn't know the meaning of.

"Please, she-cat, take us to your Emperor," Xavier said. A gust of freezing wind blew through the forest at that moment, chilling her to the core. Icecloud noticed Marci stifle a shiver.

"If you tell me something, first," she replied, sitting and swishing her tail around herself to cover her still-numb paws.

Marci's green eyes flashed with annoyance, and she growled, "What right do you have to ask anything of us, Clan cat? Just take us to your Emperor."

"Hush, Marci. She's obviously confused about something," Xavier meowed. He tilted his head in Icecloud's direction. "Go on."

"Just what exactly is an 'Emperor'?"

Marci sighed heavily, while Xavier simply blinked rapidly. The two strange cats stared at her, as if they didn't even understand her question. Icecloud grew steadily more and more uncomfortable under their searching gazes.

"She-cat, an Emperor is your..." Xavier stopped, looking around as if he was searching for the right word.

"An Emperor is the patriarch of your society. One you follow, without question. He decides what's best for everyone, no matter how much the society as a whole or single individuals dislike his choice. He can be strict, he can be cruel, he can be snide... but you love, trust, respect, and obey him anyway."

A silence met the gray-and-white she-cat's words. Icecloud felt exceedingly more awkward as the tension-filled heartbeats passed. Xavier was giving Marci a long, scrutinizing look. She was shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

Marci cleared her throat. "Anyone in your Clan who's like that?" she asked.

Icecloud nodded. Firestar, of course. "Yes, I know exactly who you're talking about now. You wish to speak with Firestar?"

"Um, yes," Xavier responded. "Please take us to this 'Firestar', she-cat."

Icecloud flattened her ears. "My name is Icecloud, not 'she-cat'. Follow me," she sighed, turning in the direction of camp and padding forward.

.

"What is this?" Mousefur demanded when Icecloud, Marci, and Xavier entered the camp. Icecloud cringed under the elderly brown she-cat's hot stare. Mousefur had a temper, and Icecloud didn't like to be subject to it. The elder glared at the two cats behind her, questioning them silently. Icecloud noticed Jayfeather, in the center of the camp, observing this all with a mildly annoyed look.

She tried to explain. "These two-I mean-I found them-"

"Spit it out!" Mousefur hissed impatiently.

Icecloud flinched. She took a deep breath and said slowly, "I found these two on ThunderClan territory. I confronted them and they asked to see Firestar. I brought them here. Now, do you know if Firestar's in his den?" It took her every ounce of courage she had to not jump backwards at Mousefur's glare. The brown she-cat was much crabbier than usual today.

"Of course he is. StarClan forbid that any cat leave their den in this weather," she said snidely, whipping around and trotting to the elders' den. She sent one last glare over her shoulder at the intruders before disappearing into the den.

Cats were starting to come out of their dens, curious as to what the arguing was about. Icecloud glanced around nervously as the whispering started. "Who is it this time?""Why would Icecloud bring those two here?""They don't look very friendly.""Here we go again." At least half of the Clan was staring at her and the two strange cats, as if they were all lumped together in this.

"Ignore her," Jayfeather meowed around a bundle of herbs, padding closer to her and the intruders. "She's just cranky because there's no apprentices around to yell at. Anyway, Firestar is in his den, with Graystripe and Brambleclaw. They're having a meeting, so try to make it quick and to the point." He slunk away, toward the nursery.

Icecloud nodded and looked at the two strange cats. Xavier had an extremely confused look on his face, while Marci just looked surprised.

"Can she-cats here just order others around and be so rude like that?" Xavier wondered aloud. Icecloud blinked.

"She's an elder. And she's Mousefur. Everybody listens to what she has to say, practically. Even Firestar himself."

"Really? Your Emperor listens to that she-cat? Hmm."

Icecloud nodded. "Yes, we all listen to what every cat has to say, even Firestar. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll fetch him to speak with you."

"Of course, Icecloud," Xavier meowed, dipping his head.

Marci huffed impatiently. "You won't be talking too much from here on, Xavier. This is my message to deliver, after all."

Icecloud got out of there before she would have to witness an argument between the two cats. She made her way up to the Highledge, scraping her paws painfully on the rough granite. At least they weren't numb anymore, she thought, wincing.

The white she-cat finally made it to the ledge, after a few scrapes. She heard low words coming from Firestar's den. Before she was tempted to eavesdrop, she cleared her throat loudly.

"Firestar?" she called into the den.

"We'll finish this later, you two," Firestar said quickly. There was a rustling, then Brambleclaw and Graystripe appeared in the mouth of the cave. She tilted her head in the direction of the intruders meaningfully, silently letting them know what she needed Firestar for. They nodded and left her side to keep an eye on the two cats, along with most of the Clan.

"Come on in, Icecloud," she heard Firestar call out. Icecloud entered the den, glad to be out of the chilling outside air. Firestar was in his nest, looking extremely comfortable, yet extremely thin. He was refusing fresh-kill again this leafbare. "What is it that you need?"

"There's two cats here. They smell strange, like pine and earth. They say that they wish to speak with the 'Emperor' of ThunderClan. I figured that would be you," she said quickly, wanting to get it all out of the way and see his reaction.

Firestar blinked a few times, before nodding and getting to his paws. "Alright, I'll go see what they want with me. Lead me to them?"

Icecloud dipped her head and left the den. She made her way down the tumble of rocks, making sure to be extra careful on the rough patches. The clearing was quickly filling with ThunderClanners, clamoring to see the two strange cats that wanted something from them.

Firestar quickly pulled ahead of her as soon as he saw where the cats were located. He padded forward, heading toward the camp entrance and the intruders. The cats of ThunderClan scooted back and made a clear pathway for their ginger leader.

Icecloud quickly hid herself among the mass of cats. She didn't want anymore attention than the was already getting. She found herself standing beside Millie, the former kittypet watching the proceedings with dull interest. Her eyes were glazed over. Icecloud guessed that she wanted to be back in the medicine den with Briarlight.

"What do you two need?" Firestar asked politely of the two foreigners. Xavier opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to think better of it when Marci sent him a fierce look. She stepped forward, her white paws daintily finding their way around the frozen patches of ground.

"I am Marci, Messenger of Roma. I was sent here by my Emperor, Caesar, to deliver a message and a request to you. I would appreciate if you listened closely and carefully."

Firestar leaned closer to the gray-and-white she-cat. He angled his ears in her direction. "I'm listening."

Marci cleared her throat and stood to her full height.

"Join Roma, or suffer the consequences."

**Oh no, cliffhanger. Don't kill me, please. **

**Anyway, Coqui will be writing the next chapter, so be sure to wish her luck in the reviews! Thanks.**

**Until next time!**

_**Coqui: Hope you liked; I'll see you guys next chapter.**_

_**Review?**_

_**~GoldenRinglets **_**and _Coqui's Song_**


	3. Chapter II

**You have permission to kill me in any horrible way you wish. I'm super, super late with this update -heck, I'm pretty sure you've all forgotten me by now! Anyway, I have some news. Goldie has regretfully decided to... not give up, but... she's decided to stop writing this fic with me for now. Who knows if she'll start up again, but really, we didn't have some big fight or anything. She just has a crap-ton of Writers' Block like I did, and she's finding it really difficult to shake it. Fortunately I shook it off long enough to write this chapter. :D**

**Now, I want to make this very clear: Roma is only loosely based on Ancient Rome. They don't share the exact same history, nor do they share the same sort of social hierarchy, although Roma does have a hierarchy. One of you told me that Rome was rather Sparta-like in its sentiments; Roma isn't very appreciative of she-cats for a reason. Rome and Roma, however, do share some things, such as religion (gods and goddesses). Okay, this A/N will end after this:**

**Thank you for reviewing: kcb500, Queen Of The Pens, the universe is ours, xXEat Me Drink MeXx, Scribe of the Owls, Auraforce3000, AllThatMattersIsTheMusic, WishingOnAFallenStar17, Smokefoot, dragonFELL, and Ashlight11.**

Chapter II

_Everything stilled around her, and even _the whistling winds swaying the trees' branches covered with a fine layer of snow quieted as Marci's words sunk into the Clan cats. She smiled to herself, as it seemed that the gods were on her side, pausing everything in nature for dramatic effect.

The Clan cats tilted their heads and frowned. This was the typical reaction to the news, and the dark gray Messenger would always let the cats talk amongst themselves and decide. So she did this now, she let the cats blink and glance at each other in slight confusion before they began to argue with her and such.

She tensed as a cold breeze pierced her fur, but she glanced around the large Clan to see their reactions before she jumped in surprise as they began to laugh. _What makes this humorous? We have just threatened to kill them all. _

Marci glanced at her companion to see that Xavier had the same bewildered look on his face. Certainly he'd never accompanied a Messenger to a possible province of Roma, be the look on his face made it clear that he'd expected a different response than this. He leaned down slightly and whispered in her ear, "Is this their usual reaction?"

The Messenger flinched away from him and growled low in her throat, "No. And I don't like it." She turned to the leader of ThunderClan and noticed that there was no amusement in his eyes, only a questioning look.

"Well? Aren't you going to control your Clan? This is a serious matter," Marci hissed.

"I would be more respectful if I were you, Marci," said Firestar, staring down at her with leaf-green eyes slightly paler than her own deep emerald shade. The emotion in his gaze was intense, but she was unafraid. She was a cat of Roma, and cats of Roma were immune to fear. Still, she flattened her ears and bowed her head respectfully, for she knew that the Clan leader was right; it was not her place to tell him how to run his Clan.

"I apologize, Firestar," she murmured, then stood once again and realized the Clan had quieted.

The fiery leader cleared his throat and addressed both of the newcomers. "I don't think that you two realize that we have no reason to fear you thus far."

"Isn't that the point?" Marci asked, perplexed, taking a step back and tipping her head to the side. "We come to peacefully request you join Roma."

"'Join Roma or suffer the consequences,'" scoffed a golden tabby warrior. "What sort of peaceful request is that?"

The dark gray-and-white she-cat whipped around to face the warrior. "Tell me, do we look like an army to you? There are only two of us here to bring you this message. If you refuse, then our Emperor -leader"- she tried, to avoid the confusion she and Xavier had encountered earlier with Icecloud- "will send an entire legion of Roma Soldiers. You may fight, but you will lose."

"Until I see that army," the tabby tom growled, "I won't believe it. To give in without a fight is cowardly. And ThunderClan is not made of cowards."

"This decision is not yours to make," said Marci, turning her back on him. "It is Firestar's." She again looked at the leader. "So, your decision?"

"I will make no decision until I know more," Firestar meowed. "You speak of Roma, Marci, but you do not say what Roma is."

_What is Roma? _wondered Marci. Roma was what she'd grown up in, what most cats she knew had grown up in. It was not a place, but a race of cats who wanted to better the lives of others, a race of cats that wanted all cats to join, not for the sake of conquering and taking up land, but so there could be peace among everyone. But before peace, there had to be war.

"Roma, Roma is..." she tried, then paused, trying to make the jumble of thoughts in her mind into a clear, cohisive explanation. Roma was...

"Excuse me, Marci," Xavier said in a quiet voice. "If you don't mind, I would like to take over."

_Mind? _Perhaps the heir of Roma was not her favorite cat around, but right now, she needed help. She nodded wordlessly, stepped back and let Xavier speak.

"I believe Marci failed to introduce me. I'm Xavier, Lieutenant of Roma, and heir to the throne. You wish to know what Roma is, but first you must know what you are. Are you ThunderClan?" asked the Lieutenant, his white fur billowing gently in the wind. "Or is this place ThunderClan?"

"We are ThunderClan," Firestar replied. "We can move to another territory if need be, as we did before, but we are ThunderClan."

Xavier dipped his head. "Just as Marci and I are Roma. My mother, Marci's mother, our fathers, our friends, our family, our Emperor. We are Roma."

_My mother is dead. She is in the Underworld, _thought Marci bitterly. _She is not Roma any longer. Is she?_

"We conquer, yes, but out of a need for peace. Without war, there can be no peace," the heir continued. "We give the decision to fight to you, but we prefer it when one agrees to join peacefully, without a battle."

"And have cats joined peacefully?" Firestar asked.

Xavier glanced at Marci as if to say, _Have there?_

The Messenger shrugged in response, and the white-black-and-gray tom answered, "Not in my lifetime, no."

The flame-colored tom blinked. "What an interesting group of cats you are, truly."

The golden tabby warrior from before hissed at his leader. "You aren't really thinking of joining, are you?"

Firestar lashed his tail and ignored him. He turned to the two Roma cats. "We will think of this and give you our answer tomorrow. Stay here for the night."

The Clan began to protest, as well as Marci, who wanted the answer right away and was anxious to be going to the other three Clans, but Xavier whispered, "It'll be easier this way. We'll go on to another Clan tomorrow morning and be done tomorrow evening. Hopefully we won't have to fight any of them."

But Marci knew already what the Clan's answer would be. A big, fat _no. _Because she'd met cats less proud than this ThunderClan, and they had all refused to join without war. And looking around at these ThunderClan cats, she realized that they were a proud group of cats, and if the other Clans were prouder, they'd be in trouble. If all the Clans were even nearly as big, or larger, than this ThunderClan, they would be evenly matched in war.

"Hush, everyone!" Firestar's voice echoed off the stone walls of the ThunderClan camp. "I must think of this. Apprentices, make our visitors comfortable. Warriors, I wish to speak with you."

At their leader's command, the Clan went about doing their business. Most of the cats, the warriors, joined Firestar at the foot of a tall ledge.

Two smaller cats; apprentices, guessed Marci, approached them. They had anger in their eyes, but were polite as they showed the two Roma cats to a shallow cave.

"I'll get you some moss for your nests," offered one apprentice with light dove-gray fur.

The other, a gray tabby she-cat meowed, "I'll get you some fresh-kill."

"Thank you," Xavier said kindly, and Marci nodded.

They waited patiently until the apprentice brought back the moss and shaped it into a comfortable nest and the other came in with a scrawny mouse and blackbird.

"I'm sorry," said the tabby she-cat. "It's leaf-bare and our territory can only have so much prey."

_Leaf-bare? _wondered Marci briefly, then realized that the apprentice meant winter. "It's fine. We understand that in winter prey is hard to come by. Thank you."

The apprentice dipped her head politely and she and the young gray she-cat padded out of the den. Xavier and Marci were left alone. The Messenger shifted awkwardly as the silence between them stretched out, and she cleared her throat. "Well, I'm rather hungry."

"I'll take the mouse," Xavier said immediately.

The dark gray she-cat growled, narrowing her green eyes. Why on earth did Xavier want the scrawny mouse rather than the fatter blackbird? He was the heir; he should be getting the best, shouldn't he? She gazed at the two pieces of fresh-kill, puzzled. She should be getting the blackbird, of course, she was the _rightful _heir, but that would be just giving in to the Lieutenant. Marci wanted the mouse, if only to prove that she was better than him, more generous, kinder. It wouldn't fill her stomach, but she would establish herself as the more dominant one, which in essence was ridiculous. Wasn't _Xavier_ the heir? Wasn't _Xavier_ the Lieutenant? Even if Marci was more knowledgeable about dealing with foriegn cats, when Caesar ordered him as her guard, perhaps he meant to put her in her place, remind her where she stood on Roma's hierarchy. And yes, it was higher than most she-cats stood, higher than all Messengers, but she was not, nor would she ever be, Empress.

Obviously Xavier wanted to be seen as the more dominant, and so _choosing _to give her the blackbird. Right? Marci took one look at the Lieutenant's bewildered face and it hit her like a blow upside the head: He was doing it out of kindness. Anger rose inside her, flaring in her grumbling stomach. Kindness? Kindness was synonymous with pity, and the last thing the dark gray-and-white she-cat wanted was to be pitied. _Pity gives one power over the other._

"_I'll _take the mouse," she hissed, taking a step towards the fresh-kill.

But the white tom blocked her way. "I wouldn't, Marci. Take the blackbird."

"Why? Out of kindness? Out of pity?" she scorned.

Xavier cocked his head curiously. "Pity? No, not pity. But my mother always taught me to treat a she-cat with respect."

"You do realize that is seen as softness, don't you?" Marci asked, scowling.

"N-no," he spluttered. "But Marci, take the blackbird. Please."

The Messenger hated to lose, least of all to Xavier, but she knew that both of them were equally matched in this arguement and neither would back down even after the sun rose in the morning, so she stalked past the Lieutenant and began plucking the feathers off the blackbird.

"Thank you," said Xavier as he began tearing into the small mouse.

Marci didn't answer. She didn't say it, but as she polished off the blackbird, she was immensely grateful that he'd given her it. It only just satisfied her stomach, and she knew she would need the energy, and something told her that the other Clans were not nearly as hospitable as ThunderClan.

The Messenger yawned as she stood and padded to her mossy nest. Her exhaustion overcame her the second she laid down on the soft nest, and within moments she was asleep.

**Ω ****Ω ****Ω**

"We can't give into them, Firestar," Lionblaze hissed. "This Roma might not even exist!"

"Lionblaze," meowed Cinderheart calmly, "why would they lie about something like this? _Think, _would you?"

"It still doesn't mean they would beat us," scoffed Jayfeather. "We should fight them. We could beat them, and they won't have to take us as part of them."

Icecloud blinked. "They say they work for peace."

"How can you believe that, Icecloud?" growled Lionblaze. "'Without war, there can be no peace.' How mouse-brained. Why not leave us alone and avoid war in the first place?"

All of the warriors murmured in agreement.

"So it is decided," said Firestar, raising his voice. "We will fight."

"Yes," the warriors hissed, growled, snarled in approval. They were ready to fight. And hopefully, if the other Clans refused Marci and Xavier's proposal, they would all fight as one again. To drive out any threat that endangered them all.

**So, er, not much to say here. Marci: what's your take on her? Sane or mad? Good or evil? Or is she just one of those "shades of gray" characters? XD**

**My faint outline for this chapter: Clan cats laugh at them, Marci and Xavier explain how Roma works, and ThunderClan discusses what to do. And out came several monologues by Marci. I just couldn't stop my fingers from writing them. /headdesk**

**Plot moves forward, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, am I the only one who thinks this is a filler? XD**

**Anyway, not sure when I'll update again, but. Yeah, here.**

_**~Coqui's Song**_


	4. Chapter III

**I really should start updating faster. At this rate, I'll never finish, and I adore this fic. I really do. D: Anyway, I'm excited, because this chapter is in another character's point of view. :D **

**Would like to thank the reviewers who actually stuck with me throughout my WB and I'll promise that I won't make you wait so long this time. XD Maybe a month, because I'm busy with school. Actually, I won't promise. Just realized I have a whole bunch of assignments to do when I get back to school. ;_; So we'll see.**

**Thank you: Robinstrike, Honeycloud of RiverClan, Waffle dah Cat, Anonymous, and Pixeljam. :D**

Chapter III

_A paw prodded him harshly on _his flank, and he heard a familiar voice growl, "Wake up, Xavier."

He blinked open his blue eyes for a moment, his blurry vision making it difficult to make out Marci in the dim light of the den. He grunted and closed his eyes again. It was just after dawn and it was freezing, not to mention he was exhausted. Didn't he, the heir of Roma, deserve a little rest? Xavier had underestimated Messengers; they had more stamina than he gave them credit for. The white-gray-and-black Lieutenant drifted back into the warm blackness of sleep, but not for more than just a couple of heartbeats before Marci nudged him again, harder than before.

"What?" he groaned, lifting his head and struggling to keep his eyes open. He was beginning to get annoyed now.

The gray Messenger stuck her head close to his face and snarled, "Just because you're the heir of Roma doesn't mean you get special privileges. Wake up. Now."

He mulled over how to respond. Xavier smirked and stood, stretching luxuriously. The Lieutenant purred, "Yes, Empress."

His sarcastic assertion of authority seemed to affect the Messenger, because Marci's green eyes flashed, and she opened her mouth to spit out a retort, but apparently thought better of it. "I'm glad you're awake. Now come on, the leader of ThunderClan wishes to see us in his den."

.

They climbed up ledges to enter the Emperor –rather, leader's den. Firestar was not the only one in his cave. A pale ginger she-cat, the ginger tabby tom from last night, a gray tabby tom, and a dark brown tabby tom sat with him.

_To protect him, _Xavier realized. _In case we try to kill him. Do they really think we are that dishonorable? To murder their leader in cold blood?_

"So Firestar," began Marci respectfully, "have you thought of our offer? If you join us, you will receive protection, become part of us, help us conquer the world."

"I have thought of it, and I have discussed it with my warriors," replied Firestar, his eyes giving away nothing.

"And?" Xavier prompted, already knowing what the answer would be, yet retaining a faint hope that the leader would agree to join them. He wondered if Marci felt like this right now.

The ThunderClan leader cleared his throat and glanced at his warriors. "We've decided not to join. We have our customs, you see, our beliefs. We don't want to lose that. There have been Clans for countless seasons, and to give up our way of life just because two strange cats tell us to will not be tolerated. Our Clans have been threatened again and again, and we have always prevailed. We have no reason to believe that there are better ways of living than in a Clan, only different but equally efficient traditions."

"I see," murmured the Messenger, sounding slightly disappointed, as if their decision caused her grief. "You know what happens now, don't you?

"We suffer the consequences of our decision?" muttered the gray tabby, his blue eyes somewhat amused. Xavier couldn't help notice how glazed over his eyes looked, almost as if he was blind.

The white-furred Lieutenant blinked and wondered aloud, "Perhaps some of your Clan could come the capital of our nation –Roma. They would see how we live. Perhaps your Clans and Roma are not as different as you believe."

"Or you could try being a cat of Roma for a moon or two, and decide then, whether or not you wish to be part of us," Marci added. Xavier suspected there was more to her idea than that. But what was it?

And suddenly it dawned on him._ Of course_. _Once a cat of Roma, always a cat of Roma. As soon as they agree to become a province, they will not be able to break from us. They can rebel, but they will always lose. _He stared at the dark gray she-cat, astounded by her brilliance. It was obvious that the Messenger would get the ThunderClan leader to agree by any means necessary.

"We are proud cats, you two," Firestar insisted sternly. "It wouldn't work. If war is the only way, then so be it. We are not joining Roma. I believe I speak for the other three Clans as well."

"War is not the way to escape from us," growled Marci, her fur fluffing up slightly as she stepped backward slowly, green eyes glinting ominously. "Death is. Now come, Xavier. We must speak to the other three Clans. Perhaps they will listen to reason."

The heir of Roma dipped his head respectfully to the leader of ThunderClan, not really minding being ordered around by Marci. She was doing her job; he understood that he was there only to protect her, and he should not be getting in the way. But he was, because he was a cat of Roma too, and he was the future Emperor. Xavier had begged Caesar to let him tag along. He knew that he had to take an interest in all aspects of their way of life. Of course, it didn't mean that he'd ask to protect the Messenger if it hadn't been Marci.

He coughed and meowed a farewell to the ThunderClan cats. The Lieutenant flicked his tail and led Marci out of the den, and climbed down to the clearing of the Clan's… what did they call it? Camp, yes.

"Make sure they leave ThunderClan territory." He heard Firestar order his warriors as they too emerged from his den.

Xavier wasn't annoyed at all by this, but Marci seemed to take offense. "You don't trust us to leave?" She challenged, her dark gray fur bristling in resentment.

"No," the she-cat named Icecloud replied. "We don't."

The Messenger glared at her, but went left the camp without a word, the heir and a couple of Clan cats following her. Marci glanced behind her and asked a warrior, "Which way to the nearest Clan?"

"WindClan," began the tom, "Would be that way." He nodded his head toward the other Clan's territory.

"Thank you," Marci replied, her pace quickening.

"Why do you even try? We said no, and I'm sure the other Clans will throw you out –not respectfully like us, either. We're a bit _friendlier,_" the warrior tom's voice grew bitter as he spat out the last word.

"For Roma," she said simply, and they didn't speak until they'd reached the outskirts of ThunderClan territory.

"Cross that stream and you're in WindClan land," instructed the warrior.

"Thank you very much," Marci responded curtly, and gave the ThunderClan cats a polite nod. Xavier followed her example. They crossed the stepping stones to WindClan, and stiffened as the wind became more intense on the moors. The cold breeze pierced through their thick pelts.

"I guess we know why they're called _Wind_Clan," the heir of Roma joked.

The Messenger merely snorted in irritation. The Lieutenant felt a prickle of frustration. Every time he tried to joke around with Marci, she shot him down. Why was she always surly with him? She wasn't always so serious; Xavier had seen her around with her few close friends, and she would be kidding around with them just as any cat did with friends. No, he was pretty sure it was_ him_ exclusively; _he _was the problem, and he had no idea why.

He tried again anyway. "Ready to be chased out by the other three Clans?"

To his surprise, the dark gray-and-white she-cat nodded and gave him a small teasing smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

**Ω Ω Ω**

WindClan's response was exactly as they'd expected. They were shot down, humiliated, and were chased off. Xavier had been ready to fight, but he knew that the Clan cats weren't exactly eager to kill. So the two Roma cats were driven away to RiverClan.

Hunger rumbled in the Lieutenant's stomach; he wasn't used to going so long without eating, but he was determined that if Marci could make it, so could he. Luckily, RiverClan was friendlier than the smaller, scrawnier WindClan cats and they allowed the two visitors to eat some of their fish.

"Thank you," the two Roma cats meowed graciously.

Once they'd finished, the blue-gray she-cat named Mistystar, the leader of RiverClan, strode up to them. It boggled Xavier's mind that a queen could be a leader of a Clan. It was taboo in Roma for a she-cat to have any sort of power; Marci and the mates of highly respected toms were exceptions. He wasn't exactly sure why the dark gray-and-white she-cat had become the head Messenger. That title had always been reserved for toms. The Lieutenant wondered about this every day, and he felt like he should know the answer, but the memory was forgotten, erased. Xavier shook his head to clear it.

"Well, you two, I assume you've a very good reason for coming into our territory," began Mistystar, her blue eyes clear as ice.

Marci straightened and gave herself a couple licks before replying. In her emerald eyes Xavier could see a deep respect for the RiverClan leader. "Oh, yes, Mistystar! Xavier and I have come a long way to speak with you and the other Clans."

"And for what reason, Marci?"

"We wish for you to join Roma," announced the Messenger, in a tone of voice that was unnatural for her. Surliness, arrogance, annoyance, cunning –these were all things he was used to hearing in Marci's voice. The dark gray she-cat's tone had none of that. Instead, it was eager to please, warmly polite. Xavier was surprised that he didn't like it. It was so unlike the Marci he knew that he found himself detesting this tone she had, this high-pitched, gleeful attitude. She continued to tell the RiverClan leader all about their home in that tone, and it aggravated him _so much_. "We need more cats, more territory, and we've come to request that you join us."

That was it. There was no mention of the fact that if Mistystar refused, Roma would attack. It was just a friendly proposal. The Lieutenant knew that this was wrong, so he added, "If you don't, you'll suffer the consequences of your decision."

Marci turned her head and glared at him. He wondered again why she was acting so strangely.

"Consequences?" the blue-gray leader repeated, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "Like what?"

"You die," Xavier responded bluntly.

The Messenger hissed, "Shut up!"

"It's the truth!" he retorted.

Marci's eyes flashed and he could tell that she wanted to claw him. Nevertheless, she took control of her temper and turned back to the RiverClan leader, her voice a syrupy purr. "There's really no need for violence. If you join us willingly, you'll become a province of Roma, with all its privileges. If not, I am afraid my companion is correct. Most of you will die, and the rest of you will be taken as slaves." She said this as if she didn't want it to be true.

_She's manipulating Mistystar, _Xavier realized, feeling quite foolish now.

The leader sighed and glanced from the Messenger to the heir. "Well, I certainly don't want my Clan to die," she said with a grin.

Marci was trying not to show her surprise, and he too was dumbfounded.

"So, is that a yes?" asked the dark gray-and-white she-cat, obviously attempting to keep the astonishment out of her voice.

"I'll think about it. I make no promises. In fact, it is very possible I will refuse. But I'll think about it."

It was not a victory, but it certainly was no defeat.

**So now all we have left is ShadowClan. Wonder how that'll go. Why I didn't just have the three other Clans in one chapter? I tried, but it didn't fit. This seemed to be a better ending for a chapter. Plus, you know. Pacing. Can't go too fast now! ... But if the plot's moving too slow, do tell me. I'd like a little feedback on that.**

** Why is Mistystar appearing to agree? ... Well, I just thought that RiverClan would be the Clan that would be the most open-minded to this whole "Join Roma" thing. Don't know why; I just felt it fit them. *shrugs***

**So. If you want to, you can review. XD**

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

_**~Coqui's Song**_


	5. Chapter IV

**So, quick-ish update from me, I know. And we actually have some action in this chapter! :O **

**Thank you to reviewers: Honeycloud of RiverClan, Fireflight, and pixeljam.**

Chapter IV

_By the time the two cats_ of Roma crossed into the pine-covered lands of ShadowClan, Marci's paws were numb. They'd had to cross freezing RiverClan streams without stepping stones, so they were damp and cold. The Messenger was shivering furiously, and didn't protest when Xavier pressed against her to conserve body heat.

"Perhaps we should run," the Lieutenant suggested.

The she-cat merely nodded, and so they began to sprint through the pine forest. Marci did enjoy ShadowClan's territory. It reminded her of home. They slowed as they neared a Human's nest. What was one doing here, so deep within the forest? Oh, yes, there were a few Human roads in Clan territory, but they'd only seen two other Human nests in Clan lands. One had been abandoned, the other looked like it was often used, but no one was there now. This one –this one looked abandoned, but there was a strong scent of Human and two cats that didn't have the ShadowClan scent that Marci had picked up on the border with RiverClan.

The small Human home seemed a sinister place; the clear parts of the walls were scratched and even shattered in some parts. The roof seemed as if it would cave in anytime now. Marci heard creaks and moans coming from the wood. She took a curious step forward, and her companion stiffened. Something was not right in the air.

"Marci," warned Xavier, taking a few paces backward. "The two cats."

"What can they do, Xavier?" she sneered at his caution. There were times the Messenger could not believe he was to be Caesar's successor. He was too much of a coward. "They're Human housecats."

"Only Human housecats?" snarled a voice nearby, and before she could realize it, Marci was struggling under a large black-and-white tom. Pinned. She screeched in rage, clawing his belly. Hisses from Xavier confirmed that the other housecat had attacked also.

Marci glanced quickly at the heir and saw that he was exchanging blows with a small tabby she-cat. He took the she-cat by the scruff and shook her so that when he let go, she was off-balance and dizzy. However, she was still dangerous. The tabby she-cat flew at Xavier, but he easily sidestepped and pounced on Marci's attacker. The four cats wrestled, hissing and spitting.

Marci felt warm blood trail down her shoulder, and gasped in pain before realizing it was not her own. Rather, it was the tabby she-cat's. She would have laughed at her foolishness had she not been in the heat of battle. The Messenger gave the other she-cat a heavy blow to the head. She pounced and bit the tabby's shoulder so ferociously that the tabby shrieked in agony.

"Don't attack me again," snarled Marci.

"I wouldn't count on it," the tabby retorted, and she lunged at the gray-and-white Messenger, jaws clamping down on her ear. Marci gasped and ripped free of the grip, but the she-cat leapt again and pinned her, raking her back with her claws.

"Xavier!" she screeched, hating that she needed the Lieutenant's help but knowing that she would die if he didn't come to her aid.

Xavier's pelt was streaked with crimson blood also. His blue eyes flashed, his blood-stained claws gleamed in the moon's light, his tail was raised in utmost confidence. He was a fierce fighter, fearless as he slashed at the tom. But angry too, angry that these two housecats had caught him by surprise. The heir glanced worriedly at Marci, then turned back to the tom and started pushing him harder, clawing him, sinking his teeth into the other tom's scruff furiously. It was the Lieutenant's fury that won him his fight.

"Come on, Susan," growled the black-and-white tom. "We've lost this fight."

"_I _haven't, Jacques, but then, she's so incompetent at fighting, those Clan cats could beat her," the tabby replied. "I'll have fun killing her."

"No!" Xavier snarled, barreling into Susan and pinning her, baring his sharp white fangs. "You lay one more claw on her and I'll flay you to strips!"

"Look at that, he's in _love_," Susan spat.

"_Never,_" said Marci, scrambling back up and shaking her fur. Her scratches burned like the fires of the Land of Punishment, and her left forepaw was hurt so she was sure to have at least a slight limp, but defiance blazed in her eyes and hate making her bare her teeth. "Fight me again, coward, for you still have a lesson to learn in manners."

She was no longer freezing; the fury and the fight had warmed her more than a simple run ever could. The Messenger's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, but the fight was exhilarating and she wanted more.

"I'd rather you not," said a new voice. "Healing wounds is terribly difficult in leaf-bare."

"ShadowClan! You know they never travel alone in this part of the forest!" whispered Jacques, and he backed away a few steps before turning tail and fleeing to his Human nest. Susan slipped out of Xavier's grip and streaked after him.

The two cats of Roma turned to the voice and saw a smallish tabby tom pad out of the shadows, followed by a younger ginger tom. The brown tabby sniffed disapprovingly in the direction of the housecats. "Fox-hearts, the two of them. I remember when the Clans first came here; they took pleasure in killing any cat they could, just for the sake of the kill."

"You're ShadowClan cats," assumed Marci.

The tabby tom nodded, narrowing his amber eyes. "And what brings you two strangers here, in the dead of leaf-bare? You have a scent I've never encountered."

"We need to speak with your Em –ah, leader," the Messenger replied.

"Hmm." The ShadowClan tom paused, looking them over. Marci felt rather uncomfortable under the tom's bright amber gaze. "Not before I give you a poultice for your wounds."

They blinked in surprise.

"But didn't you just say that healing is harder in winter?" asked Xavier incredulously. "And I don't think you could heal us, even if you wanted to. You're a tom. Healing wounds and illness is a she-cat's job."

"Hush, Xavier," hissed Marci, annoyed with his culture shock. It was apparent that the Clans and Roma had radically different traditions regarding toms and she-cats; however, she'd also seen the similarities. "Have you learned nothing of the Clans' customs? Toms and she-cats are _equal_."

The heir of Roma fell into humiliated silence, and Marci twitched her whiskers in satisfaction.

The ginger tom had not spoken, but now he whispered to his friend, and the tabby shook his head. "Any cat in need must be helped. This is the way of medicine cats."

"Very well," said the ginger tom, but Marci could see that he was not pleased.

A silence overcame the four cats until the brown tabby glanced at the two Roma cats and laughed. "Silly me, I am getting old! I've forgotten to introduce myself. I'm Littlecloud, ShadowClan's medicine cat. This is my apprentice, Flametail."

"I thought apprentices had the suffix 'paw,'" Marci meowed, slightly confused.

"Warrior apprentices, yes," murmured Flametail. "But medicine cats are different. We remain apprentices until our mentor dies or retires to the elder's den. Which I have been expecting from Littlecloud to do soon." The ginger tom's tone was teasing.

"Oh, you!" purred the small tabby. "I may be old, but not nearly old enough to join the elders. As for dying –I don't plan on doing that for a while yet."

"I know," Flametail said. "And I'm glad for that."

"Interesting," the dark gray-and-white Messenger muttered, eyes gleaming with curiousity. "And now, allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Marci, and I have an important message for your leader." She nodded towards the white-gray-and-black Lieutenant, who was licking his shoulder. "This is Xavier."

The two ShadowClan medicine cats nodded welcomingly. Littlecloud meowed, "Well, come with us to camp. We must treat those scratches. They could get infected, and infection is the last thing you want in leaf-bare." He padded up to Xavier and sniffed the heir's shoulder. "This particular one looks nasty. Stop licking it; you'll make it worse."

"Sorry," the Lieutenant muttered, and stopped fussing over his wound.

"As for your important message for Blackstar, Marci, you will be able to deliver it in time. But for now, as I said, I would treat your wounds immediately after we arrive in camp."

"Littlecloud, we don't know these cats," Flametail tried again.

The small tabby tom rounded on his apprentice, amber eyes flashing angrily. "If a RiverClan kit was lying in the snow, broken and bleeding and alone, would you condemn her to death? If a loner who had never done anything in his life against you got into a fight with a fox and you stumbled upon his dying body, would you leave him to die?"

"N-no," stammered the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice. "But they aren't dying."

"Dying or not, they're wounded. And we must help them. Understood?" he hissed.

Flametail nodded without another word, and Marci had to keep from smirking. Of course she was grateful –the medicine cat was showing her more kindness than she expected from a cat from the Clan named for shadows.

"Now come," Littlecloud said to the two cats of Roma, and he flicked his tail, gesturing for them to follow him.

The medicine cats led the two Roma cats through the pine forest to the ShadowClan camp. Marci tasted the air, filled with the scents of the conifers. Xavier was relaxed as well, his eyes glimmering in happiness at the familiarity of the terrain. But then, Xavier was always relaxed.

Finally they arrived at the camp entrance. The four cats ducked under the low-lying branches that protected the camp. Two warriors standing guard glanced at the two Roma cats with slight hostility, but Marci was not bothered. Littlecloud muttered a few words to the warriors as they passed. Marci and Xavier followed the medicine cats to the medicine den.

Murmuring to himself, Littlecloud looked at his stash of herbs. "Flametail, fetch me some cobwebs." The ginger tom left the den while the tabby medicine cat chewed some marigold.

Marigold! These cats used many of the same leaves and roots as remedies. Marci was fascinated with how similar –and different– Clan life was from Roma's life. Flametail returned with his paws covered with spider webs. He applied them to Marci and Xavier's worst scratches, and once the bleeding had lessened, Littlecloud put on the poultice of marigold on their wounds. The Messenger sighed with relief.

"Thank you," mewed Marci, giving the medicine cat a grateful smile.

"Yes, thank you," sighed the heir, closing his eyes as Littlecloud applied the marigold to his wounded shoulder.

"What is this I hear?" a large white tom with black paws burst into the medicine den. "What is this I hear of strangers in the camp?"

"Blackstar," Littlecloud acknowledged the leader of ShadowClan. "Flametail and I found these two cats near the Twoleg den, fighting Jacques and Susan. I thought I should treat their wounds. They say they have something important to tell you, but I told them they could wait while I healed them."

"Oh, I know of their little _message_," spat Blackstar, amber eyes flashing with fury. "And listen to me, you two. I will not give up ShadowClan to you without a fight. Even if every one of my remaining lives is wasted in battle with your little Roma, you will not get ShadowClan. We will die before we join you."

"Wha- what?" the medicine cat spluttered. "Marci, Xavier, what is going on?"

"Our message," began Marci, "was to offer the Clans a choice: join Roma, or die. I see Blackstar already knows. May I ask how?"

"The Clans do not always fight amongst each other," said the white-furred leader. "I ran into a ThunderClan patrol yesterday while I was out hunting. They told me all of your little offer. I refuse, just like every other Clan you came across."

_Not RiverClan, _thought the Messenger, straining to keep a straight face.

"Well then," said the gray-and-white she-cat, stretching up to her full height, though Blackstar still towered over her. Marci gave him a plastic smile. "Since you're such good friends with the other Clans, please be sure to tell them than you have not seen the last of us. We will be back. Come on, Xavier. We are in a tight schedule. I'd hate to miss Roma's celebration of Saturnia."

"All right," meowed the heir, glancing guardedly at the leader. "I wouldn't like to spend Saturnia out of Roma either."

The two Roma cats nodded at the medicine cats gratefully and slipped out of the den, running to the exit. Marci flinched as she felt jaws clamp down on her tail. The Lieutenant hissed, whipping around and scratching a ShadowClan warrior's face. They started to run faster, breaking into a sprint.

"Don't come back!" snarled ShadowClan warriors. "We'll tear you to pieces!"

Marci glanced behind her shoulder and saw Littlecloud standing in front of the warriors of his Clan, his amber eyes showing his disgust at their betrayal.

_I didn't mean to make you feel as though I was a friend. I didn't want you to feel betrayed. I will never be a friend to the Clans. I do thank you for your kindness, though. I thank you, but it will never feel genuine to you, because I will always be fighting the Clans, always against you, never for you. _

"I'm sorry," puffed Xavier, breaking into her thoughts, as they bounded through the snow-covered pine forest.

"For what?" Marci snorted in annoyance.

"I was sent to protect you. And in that fight with the two housecats –I almost couldn't. You almost died, because I was too busy being in the offensive."

"Funny thing about the word 'almost,'" Marci drawled. "Either way, you did protect me. So no apology was necessary."

The heir looked at her oddly. "Are you actually being nice to me?"

"Don't get used to it. Now hurry up. I want to go home."

**I wanted to make up a new word for humans for Roma cats to use, but I didn't really like them. There's already Upwalkers, Twolegs, and No-furs, and everything else sounded awkward. I was going to have them call humans Humanas, the Latin word for human, but I was too lazy to add the extra "a," so. Whatever. XD**

**Saturnia is equivalent of the Romans' feast Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, held in December. Christmas has some of its roots there, definitely. /nodnod**

**Review?**

_**~Coqui's Song**_


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